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Food Security and Sustainability: Malaysia Agenda

Article  in  Malaysian Applied Biology · June 2019

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Malays. Appl. Biol. (2019) 48(3): 1–9

FOOD SECURITY AND SUSTAINABILITY: MALAYSIA AGENDA

TAPSIR, S.*, ENGKU ELINI, E.A., ROSLINA, A., NOORLIDAWATI, A.H.,

MOHD HAFIZUDIN, Z., HAIRAZI, R. and ROSNANI, H.

Socio-Economic, Market Intelligence and Agribusiness Research Centre,

Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute, Persiaran MARDI-UPM,
43400 Serdang Selangor, Malaysia
*E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 23 May 2019, Published online 30 June 2019

ABSTRACT

Issues pertaining to sustainability and food security in agricultural development are still the main agenda of Malaysia in its
vision of being a developed nation. It is basically the government’s responsibility of installing public confidence that food is
available and affordable as well as ensuring the sustainability of the agri-food sector, for the welfare of today’s and future
generation. Apart from defining food security and sustainability, the paper reviews Malaysia’s position on food security
considering the global food security index as well as identification of its strengths and weaknesses. Some of the descriptions
are also presented as part of a policy review on food security and sustainability as well as government regulations that have
been established to ensure the effective implementation of relevant initiatives. This paper also focuses on agri-food research
direction particularly in MARDI in addressing food security and sustainability. It encompasses the areas of research that
need to be strengthened to address food security issues and sustainable agriculture through technology and innovation.
Discussions within this framework also include the relationship of climate change with food security and sustainability with
special emphasis on rice production. This is due to the fact that rice is a major commodity in the context of food security in
our country.

Key words: Food security, food policy, food security index, environmental impact

INTRODUCTION needs competitively. Better and more effective

developmental R&D including funding and
Food security exists when all people, at all time, human capital accessibility for food-based research
have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe institutions would be needed. Similarly, infra-
and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and structure for the farming community needs to be
food preferences for an active and healthy life (FAO, optimised for higher productivity. Long term policy
2008). The Malaysian Government was very much improvements such as the ones related to direct
aware of the potential social discontent implications subsidies are also needed to revise for the com-
of higher food prices and acted fast in introducing petitive food industry to evolve (Suhaimee et al.,
the “National Food Security Policy”. Overall the 2015). Thus, the main challenge is still to enhance
policy seemed to work considering that during the productivity and efficiency in the sector. Com-
“2008 Food Crisis”, food availability was never an petitiveness is the bottom-line in ensuring food
issue and that prices of basic food were still very security for the nation. What the Malaysian
much affordable by the lower income group in the government actually needs to do is to install public
country. Lower income group are those in B40 confidence that food is available and affordable. In
category who household monthly income of less the case of rice, this was done through short term
than RM2, 500 in 2016 (Department of Statistic measures such as capping the price of certain grades
Malaysia, 2017) There are still many challenges that of rice that were meant for the lower income and
to overcome to ensure food security, especially to lower middle-income groups. For example, in 2015
the lower income segment. A long-term solution is, the maximum retail price of broken 15%, 10% and
of course, to enhance local production of our food 5% rice was controlled at RM1.80, RM2.40 and
RM2.60 per kilogram, respectively (DOA, 2016).
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. The next measure was to ensure that there was
2 FOOD SECURITY AND SUSTAINABILITY: MALAYSIA AGENDA

sufficient domestic stockpile just in case that Currently, Malaysia’s in 2017 Global Food
international source became scarcer. This was done Security Index (GFSI) was placing 41st out of 113
through a Government to Government arrangement countries with a score of 66.2, far behind Singapore
with Thailand and Vietnam to enhance our (4 th ). Malaysia still remains a relatively strong
stockpile. performer, however, outranking 23rd other countries
Meanwhile, the goal of sustainable agriculture from the Asia-Pacific region including economic
is to meet society’s food security needs without superpower China (45 th) and ASEAN neighbours
compromising the well-being and ability of future Thailand (55 th ), Vietnam (64 th ), the Philippines
generations to meet their needs. Agricultural (79 th ), Indonesia (69 th ), Myanmar (80 th ) and
Sustainability Institute, UC Davis (2018) noted Cambodia (83th).
that practitioners of sustainable agriculture attempt The country’s best performance was in the
to integrate a healthy environment, economic quality and safety category with a 71.1 score and
profitability as well as social and economic equity a 37 th rank, achieving the full indicator rating of
into their work. Certain roles should be carried out 100 on the government’s commitment to improving
by all involved in the food system including nutritional standards and a near-perfect score of
growers, food processors, distributors, retailers, 98.5 for enabling an environment for food safety
consumers and waste managers in ensuring a (Table 1).
sustainable agricultural system. Sustainable agri- Malaysia performed relatively well in the
culture and sustainable food systems comprise many affordability category, scoring of 68.1 and ranking
practices. Farm owners may use methods to promote 41st due to food consumption accounting for 74.7%
soil fertility, optimize water use, and lower pollution of the household expenditure. The country’s score
levels on the farm. Best quality with reasonable price in this category was also bolstered by the fact that
foods that are grown using methods that taking care 97.1 percent of its 31.62 million-strong population
labour wellbeing and environmentally friendly live under the global poverty line. Malaysia
which resulted in strengthening the local economy, performed also slightly better in the availability
could be the need of consumers and retailers who category, with a 62.7 score at the 43rd spot out of
concerned agricultural sustainability. Researchers 113 countries (Table 2).
often use the cross-disciplinary approach in their
work, combining biology, economics, engineering,
chemistry, community development and many MALAYSIA’S POLICIES IN FOOD SECURITY
others in addressing agricultural production AND SUSTAINABILITY
sustainability. However, sustainable agriculture is
more than a combination of practices, but also a Food security is not a new agenda in the national
balance between the competing interests of an policy origins in Malaysia. For decades, a long-
individual farmer or of people in a community as standing national agricultural policy goal is to
they work to solve complex problems about how to address food security concerns which have been
ensure food security. dominated by its primary staple, rice. This largely
dictates why the Malaysian government constantly
mandates rice self-sufficiency as a crucial national
MALAYSIA’S POSITION IN GLOBAL FOOD policy measure. The perception of food security in
SECURITY Malaysia is narrowly interpreted as the ability of
the country to feed sufficient food entirely through
Malaysia performance is in the top-tier of the 2015 domestic production, which implies the govern-
Global Food Security Index (GFSI), placing 34th ment’s stance on food security is largely referred to
out of 109 countries, but was far behind Singapore as complete dependence on domestic production
and five other neighbours in the Asia-Pacific region. without supplement from external sources. Hence,
In the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)’s latest the policymakers have often misinterpreted food
annual findings, Malaysia was categorised as security to self-sufficiency. Food security not only
showing “good performance” in ensuring that its relies on self-sufficiency, but also requires the
citizens have access to sufficient amounts of integration of capital, energy, technology, and
affordable, safe and quality food. With annual gains experienced management into sustained efforts to
that amounted to a cumulative 4.9 points in both heighten the efficiency of food production. In fact,
indicators (affordability and, safe and quality) for self-sufficiency has been revealed as an inefficient,
over a four-year-period, Malaysia improved its a costly, and a counterproductive path to food
overall score towards 69 out of 100. Singapore, an security (Alavi et al., 2012). A food self-sufficiency
island state with fewer natural resources, took approach to food security has been widely criticized
second place in the ladder with an overall score of as a misguided policy decision and furthermore, it
88.2. seeks to achieve food security that reflects political
 FOOD SECURITY AND SUSTAINABILITY: MALAYSIA AGENDA 3

Table 1. Malaysia strengths that had a value of 75% and above

Rank Strengths Score

1 Nutritional standards 100

2 Food safety 98.5
3 Proportion of population under the global poverty line 97.1
4 Volatility of agricultural production 94.7
5 Food loss 94.7
6 Agricultural import tariffs 86
7 Presence of food safety net programmes 75
8 Access to financing for farmers 75

Table 2. Weighted total of all category scores, Malaysia, 2017

Score Rank Average score

CATEGORY Δ
2017 2017 (all countries)

OVERALL 66.2 -3.2 =41 57.3

1) AFFORDABILITY 68.1 -0.4 41 54.8
2) AVAILABILITY 62.7 -7.0 =43 59.0
3) QUALITY AND SAFETY 71.1 0.0 37 58.7
1.1) Food consumption as a share of household expenditure 74.7 -2.2 38 58.6
1.2) Proportion of population under the global poverty line 97.1 0.0 46 73.0
1.3) Gross domestic product per capita (US$ PPP) 19.1 +0.6 32 14.5
1.4) Agricultural import tariffs 86.0 -0.2 18 76.4
1.5) Presence of food safety net programmes 75.0 0.0 44 65.5
1.6) Access to financing for farmers 75.0 0.0 40 61.3
2.1) Sufficiency of supply 43.4 -24.0 66 56.5
2.2) Public expenditure on agricultural R&D 12.5 0.0 32 15.0
2.3) Agricultural infrastructure 70.4 0.0 =36 57.6
2.4) Volatility of agricultural production 94.7 +0.2 24 86.2
2.5) Political stability risk 58.8 -2.3 29 46.8
2.6) Corruption 50.0 0.0 25 37.4
2.7) Urban absorption capacity 72.3 -11.3 27 66.6
2.8) Food loss 94.7 -0.1 19 84.9
3.1) Diet diversification 62.5 0.0 49 56.4
3.2) Nutritional standards 100.0 0.0 =1 79.1
3.3) Micronutrient availability 61.2 0.0 17 43.9
3.4) Protein quality 52.9 0.0 49 49.4
3.5) Food safety 98.5 0.0 39 80.5

Source: Global Food Security Index 2017.

priorities over economic efficiency (Clapp, 2017). manifested to move the country towards a food
Despite having been emphasized under a series of self-sufficiency nation, especially for rice and to
national agricultural policies and plans, food tighten security on the national food reserve by
security and sustainability has been dominated in tremendously increasing the national rice buffer
the most recent policies. Table 3 describes policy stocks. This decision essentially worsened the
emphasis and strategies which primarily included situation of the world market price for rice (Dawe,
increasing domestic production, improving pro- 2010). In the most recent national development
ductivity, strengthening research and development plan, the government made an extreme policy
activities, innovation, and technologies, monitoring decision to pursue an autarky economy in its rice
food prices, market access, and stability. The severe sector, thus closing borders from the international
aftermath of the 2007/08 food crisis has strained markets in the future. Subsequently, in the national
many rice-deficit regions, primarily in Asia where policy goal reformulation, the government decided
rice is the basic food staple triggered the govern- to pursue and aim to achieve total rice self-
ment to establish and revise the National Food sufficiency by the year 2020. However, this target
Security Policy (2008–2010). The policy had has been recently extended to 2050 under the new
4 FOOD SECURITY AND SUSTAINABILITY: MALAYSIA AGENDA

Table 3. Malaysia: Policy Reviews on Food Security and Sustainability

National Policy /
Period Policy Emphasis Strategies
Development Plans

1991– NAP-1 • Increase in the production of major • Meeting national food requirements or
2008 food products to enhance food food security through large food
security and better food quality at production by the private sector.
affordable prices. • Enhancing the integrated development
• Enhancement of food security for of the food and industrial crop
the populace and the nation. subsectors.
1992– NAP-2 • Greater emphasis on food
2010 sufficiency.
• Focusing on food security and
food safety (food scarcity).

1998– NAP-3 • Providing food security and safety. • Increasing food production and food
2010 • Making agro-food a competitive access, as well as stabilising food prices,
and sustainable industry. and ensuring food safety and nutrition.
• Ensuring national food security. • Increasing productivity through the use
2011– NAFP • The increasing contribution of the of intensification of agriculture factors,
2020 agro-food industry. and expansion of the agro-based
• Strengthening R & D activities, industry.
innovation and use of technology. • Strengthening R&D activities, innovation
and use of technology.
• Increasing and improving access to food
through the availability of marketing
infrastructure and promotion.
• Ensuring reasonable food prices with
the development of monitoring systems
on food prices and early warning
system on food availability.

Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry (First National Agricultural Policy – NAP 1; Second National Agricultural Policy – NAP
2; Third National Agricultural Policy – NAP 3; National Agro-Food Policy – NAFP).

masterplan, the National Transformation 2050 thus opens access to additional sources that could
(2020–2050). be a remedial approach to domestic production
Durand-Morat and Wailes (2011) postulated scarcity, so that supply and demand would be met.
that Malaysia has the potential to be a food secured In fact, trade could balance the deficits of net food
nation resulting from liberalizing rice trade through importers with the surpluses of exporting countries.
a significant decrease in consumer prices. In In the absence of trade, food prices would be higher
addition, regional trade agreements are hypo- in net importing countries in order to bring national
thesized to receive positive responses from supply and demand into equilibrium, potentially
participating member countries. Nevertheless, “since worsening the food security status quo in this
the issuance of the ASEAN Integrated Food Security country.
framework in 2008 and the further successful In response to various externalities, there have
adoption of the ASEAN Trade in Goods and Agree- been rigorous efforts to promote sustainable
ment (ATIGA) in 2009, food deficit countries within agricultural development in Malaysia. The govern-
the region would prefer to hang tenaciously on ment has established the New Economic Model
their long-held goal of self-sufficiency” (Alavi et (2011–2020) and the National Agrofood Policy
al., 2012). The Comprehensive and Progressive (2011–2020) to guide a long-term transformation;
Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) the 10th (2011–2015) and 11th (2016–2020)
agreement also seeks to open trade initiatives Malaysian Plans which are also expected to boost
among the members, particularly major rice exporters sustainability progress in the short term. The basis
– Vietnam and Australia – thus contributing to food of the relevant policy measures is made up of
security (Ministry of International Trade Industry, versatile sustainable agricultural practices,
2015). According to Organization for Economic Co- including conservation tillage, intercropping, cover
operation and Development (OECD), trade openness crops/mulches, crop rotation, organic fertilizers/
could improve each dimension of food security, composts, and integrated pest management. These
increasing food availability through enabling are also being promoted along with other
products to flow from surplus to deficit regions requirements of Malaysia’s Good Agricultural
(OECD, 2014). In theory, trade expands markets, and Practices and Organic Schemes (Chan, 2016).
 FOOD SECURITY AND SUSTAINABILITY: MALAYSIA AGENDA 5

Sustainable agricultural practices are promoted with Climate change and awareness of the increasingly
an aim to compensate for external inputs (e.g., limited resource in food production have led to
synthetic fertilizers, synthetic pesticides, machinery, sustainable farming practices in food agriculture.
and so forth) by using locally available natural The National Agro-Food Policy (2011–2020) has
resources more efficiently. Their benefits include set targets based on the nation’s strengths in food
soil enhancement particularly through the manage- production. Although the contribution of the agro-
ment of organic matter and soil biotic activity, as food sector to GDP is low (3-4%), its quantity and
well as crop and environment protection through value are expected to increase. The projections show
diversification of species and genetic resources. that the country does not have problems with the
Based on these features, sustainable agricultural supply of chicken and pork, eggs and fish. However,
practices do not compromise either productivity or the local production of rice, vegetables, fruits, beef,
environmental health. However, they do require the mutton and liquid milk are 30%, 51%, 20%, 77%,
improved use of farm management practices since 87% and 35% below the self-sufficiency level,
their application is complex. For instance, con- respectively (MOA, 2017). The country should also
servation tillage, intercropping, cover crops/ have an effective import policy to cope with short
mulches, crop rotation, organic fertilizers/composts, of supply. The long-term strategy will certainly
and integrated pest management are important enhance the production and competitiveness of the
factors in sustainable agricultural practices where agro-food sector. Long-term policy reforms that
adoption of technologies depend on a range of lead to direct subsidy rationalization are required
socio-economic, agro-ecological, institutional, to make the agro-food industry more competitive.
informational, and psychological factors (Tey et al., Hence, the main challenge is to increase pro-
2013). ductivity and production efficiency in the sector.
Additionally, the Malaysian government has Realising the challenges and issues in food
imposed some legal restrictions to control hazards security and sustainability, government policy
that impact the environment, food safety, and worker encourages the transformation in agri-food sector
health and safety. Environmental Quality (Control through R & D. In this regard, seven strategic
of Suspended Solids) Regulations 2011, for objectives have been outlined in the National Agro-
example, aims to protect and maintain the quality Food Policy (2011–2020), where enhancement of
of soil and water. Under such regulation, farmers are R & D activities, innovation and use of technology
required to take measures to minimize erosion and is one that has been identified. FAO predicts that
manage stormwater at all time. In the worst case, a 70% increase in future food production will be
directive will be issued to farmers for taking the contributed via technology, 20% through pro-
necessary measures to mitigate, minimize or control duction intensification and the rest (10%) through
erosion from their premises. However, the progress area expansion. MARDI, as a national agro-food
of Malaysia’s Good Agricultural Practices Scheme R & D agency, focuses on its mandate in contributing
and its Organic Scheme has been far below to the agricultural development through technology
satisfactory. It could be indicated that, although the generation. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of
policies seem strong, the use of unsustainable MARDI’s R & D is very much depending on the
production practices has remained indisputably availability of funds and sufficient expertise. At the
significant just like other sectors. same time, agricultural infrastructure needs to be
optimised. Priority to MARDI’s R & D activities is
based on challenges such as improving competi-
AGRO-FOOD RESEARCH DIRECTION IN tiveness, sustainability and food security, preserving
ADDRESSING FOOD SECURITY AND the environment and attracting private investment.
SUSTAINABILITY It should also be in line with market and customer
requirements that will adapt to relevant technologies
MARDI was established to undertake research and and innovations. In the 11th Malaysia Plan (11MP),
development (R & D) on various commodity sectors several R & D themes in the agro-food sector have
including rice, livestock, vegetables and fruits. been in focus (MARDI, 2016). Those are:
Current scenario indicates that Malaysia needs to
increase food supplies to support the growing • Post-harvest technology to increase production
population of 35 million people by 2020. In this and minimize losses
regard, R & D should generate a technology that can • Competitiveness and food security, safety and
support the development of adequate local food quality
production. Along with economic growth, prosperity
• Green technology development
and luxury lifestyle caused by the increase of
income, the pattern of food intake is also changing, • Efficient use of resources for sustainable
from grain to animal proteins as well as vegetables. agriculture
6 FOOD SECURITY AND SUSTAINABILITY: MALAYSIA AGENDA

• Exploring and generating new wealth creation melon and papaya have been marketed to China and
through biotechnology and agrobiodiversity the Middle East. The Malaysian starfruit has been
• Improving efficiency through proper recognised in the European market. At the same time,
mechanization and precision agriculture high-value vegetables such as chili, cabbage and
tomato have also been given priority in R & D. The
• Early warning system development in pest and
production of chili under the protective structure has
disease management
improved yields and guarantees quality as well as
• Adaptation and mitigation of climate change reduces the use of pesticides. The direction of fruits
• Development of high-value agricultural products and vegetable R & D in MARDI is guided by the
• Promotion and transfer of technology need for food security and sustainability in line
with the National Agro-Food Policy. The major
The way forward of R & D is categorised into emphasis on horticultural R & D would be to
some important food commodities that are rice, increase productivity, quality, safety with minimal
fruit and vegetables and livestock. Rice R & D post-harvest losses. Focused areas include the
basically revolves around the major R & D themes: development of varieties from selected species,
breeding, agronomics or crop production, pest and production systems, pest and disease management
disease management, cultivation and harvesting and post-harvest handling.
mechanization, water management, rice product One of the goals of MARDI is to address issues
development with the support of other disciplines on the production of meat and milk supply of the
that produce inputs or components in the main country. MARDI has developed several techno-
themes. Research theme designed as long-term logies to help the ruminant and non-ruminant
programs (7-12 years), each of which can consist industry. Among the significant technologies that
of several medium-term programs (2-6 years). Each have been generated and commercialized or used by
sub-program is targeted at producing commercially- producers were chicken eggs which high in Omega-
available technologies or at least producing semi- 3, Brakmas cattle which were suitable for integration
mature technologies. Each sub-program is built from with palm oil plantation, OPF (oil palm froth) based
several projects that can run simultaneously or ruminant feed, Mineral block, for ruminant
sequentially of which took about 2 years. Typically, additional mineral source, Otosil and Silosil for
every project is targeted to produce short-term silage production, Intensive goat / sheep farming
outputs, which is often a (i) knowledge, or (ii) an systems, etc.
initial process or steps in the development of a MARDI is still consistent with its R & D goals
technological component. According to the aimed at increasing meat production at competitive
developed way forward framework, activities in costs with the adoption of eco-friendly production
these areas will generate technological innovations systems (MARDI, 2016). The field of R & D is based
for medium-to-long or long-term use. Among long- on three strategies identified in the National Agro-
term innovations are: Food Policy as follows:

• Hybrid rice cultivation technology a. Improving the efficiency of ruminant production

industry specifically through;
• New inbred rice varieties
• intensive farming for meat/milk production
• Aerobic cultivation technology
and intensify zero waste practices
• Technology towards increasing 250% cultivation
• increasing the productive population of
intensity
ruminant livestock through breeding services,
including the use of modern breeding
R & D in fruits and vegetables have been carried
biotechnology methods
out to produce complete technology throughout the
production chain up to harvesting and processing. • developing a structured quality breed
The technology package generated has produced (structured) production system through the
safe and high-quality fruits. MARDI has developed development of nucleus herd
a commercially viable short-term fruit production • producing high-quality breeds of local cattle
technology such as pineapple, melon, papaya, star and goat
fruit and banana. Varieties of pineapple (Josapine),
papaya (Eksotika), rambutan (Mutiara Merah and b. Maintaining competitiveness of non-ruminant
Mutiara Wangi) and lime (Melomas) were some livestock industry through:
example that has been introduced. Post-harvest • Strengthening the use of closed-house tech-
and transportation technology generated in nology and automation
collaboration with fruit exporters have successfully • Developing effective microorganism (EM) as
penetrated the international market. Pineapple, a natural biological control agent.
 FOOD SECURITY AND SUSTAINABILITY: MALAYSIA AGENDA 7

• Enhancing the use of ICT in production The Malaysian agricultural sector in terms of
systems including RFID technology production will have a socio-economic impact on
the people in the sector and nation as a whole as
c. Increasing the production of feedstuffs through the result of the climate change phenomenon. The
• Strengthening the domestic raw materials use absence of complete information among the farmers
in ruminants on-ruminants feed in weather prediction, calamities or environmental
• Providing quality food formulas with compe- unexpected events consequently affects their
titive prices productivity. As the average temperature increases,
the yield of rice production will gradually decrease
as soon as it hit a certain degree. There are needs
CLIMATE CHANGE RELATIONSHIP WITH for new resistant varieties development and other
FOOD SECURITY AND SUSTAINABILITY production technological advances that able to
WITH SPECIAL FOCUS ON RICE PRO- manage the extreme heat in the future as predicted
DUCTION (Ariff, 2016).
As far as food security is a concern,
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change uncertainties in global food supply indeed was a
(IPCC) has stated that over the past 150 years, the threat and therefore innovative measures must be
global average surface temperature has increased by undertaken. The major issues and challenges facing
0.76°C (IPCC, 2007). It is expected that global Malaysian agriculture are structural and supply-side
warming will cause greater climatic volatility, in nature. Land, labour, capital and other inputs
including changes in precipitation patterns and are increasingly scarce for agriculture and food
increased frequency and intensity of extreme production as other sectors increasingly attract these
weather events including typhoons, heavy rainfall, basic factors of production. Thus, even without
floods, and drought. There has also been a rise in climate change, the agricultural sector faces many
mean global sea levels. It is widely believed that challenges (Ariff, 2016).
climate change is largely a result of anthropogenic In consequence, rice production and pro-
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which are likely ductivity are seen as being very important in
to intensify if no action is taken (IPCC, 2000). Malaysia and the country and one of the many
Climate change is a global issue and Malaysia was developing nations that became more concerned
part of it. Malaysian Meteorological Department about food security and sustainability in the late
(MMD) projected that our temperature will increase 2000s. Food security and sustainability as well been
that ranges from 1.5°C to 2.0°C by 2050. Rainfall a longer-term concern in Malaysia. Although a
and river flows are projected to experience greater declining part of the economy, agriculture has been
fluctuations as well. seen as particularly important to the economy and
Climate change is a complex environmental historically there has been an extensive intervention
problem affecting different sectors of the economy; in agriculture, particularly rice production, by the
both in developed and developing world. It could government in Malaysia (MARDI, 2008). With
threaten lives, the sustainability of agricultural climate change, another threat to food security has
production, fresh water supplies and the survival of become apparent. As we now know, the climate has
native species and ecosystems. Threats also include changed already – becoming warmer with evidence
food as well as political instability in a political of more extreme events of the type which can
environment which might be exacerbated. contribute to great losses, especially in agriculture.
The agricultural sector is exposed to a variety Due to these factors, issues relating to food security
of risks which include climate variability, weather- have become more important, not just in developing
related hazards of cyclone and flood, pest and countries, but also worldwide (Ariff, 2016). The
diseases, commodity price fluctuation, change in study said that increasing the temperature by
consumer demand among others. Therefore, the 2ºCelsius would decrease the rice yield by 0.359
output or yield will be mandatory unpredictable in tonnes per hectare. By multiplying the yield loss by
such condition for single crop production. The the planted area for each year, the estimated average
Malaysian Meteorology Department has predicted production loss from 1999 to 2007 would be 147
that temperature in Malaysia will increase on metric tonnes. With the average price of rice of
average by 1.3°C for the period 2020–2029 and RM1.10, the average economic loss for the second
climate change will affect rice production and scenario is estimated to be RM162 million per year
agriculture more generally. The externality of (Vaghefi, 2011).
environmental uncertainties would be the major Considering the importance of food security, the
constraints in Malaysian agricultural production rice sector is also identified as one of the NKEAs.
(MMD, 2009). The rice industry in Malaysia could benefit from
8 FOOD SECURITY AND SUSTAINABILITY: MALAYSIA AGENDA

this plan; with a higher R & D budget on fragrant has been dominated in the most recent policies
and Basmati rice as well as new infrastructure through not only increasing domestic production,
development for non-granary areas. The generation but also improving productivity, strengthening
of potential new technologies and the development research and development activities, innovation,
of better infrastructure could certainly improve the and technologies, monitoring food prices, market
productivity of rice production, as well as helping access, and stability. Knowing the outstanding
farmers to face future challenges in rice cultivation scenario indicates that Malaysia needs to increase
including that of climate change. food supplies to support the growing population of
Part of climate change is the occurrence of 35 million people by 2020. Therefore, R & D should
extreme events such as drought or flood. In order to generate appropriate technology that can support,
overcome this - or at least offset the effect – varieties strengthen and enhance the development of
should be developed that are tolerant to water stress. sustainable local food production. This could be the
New hybrid rice though might lower the yield in the way forward in agri-food development despite the
range of 20–30% it is still comparable, particularly global complex environmental problem that could
when we consider the predicted losses of more than threaten lives, the sustainability of agricultural
50%. production, fresh water supplies and the survival of
For now, part of the sustainability of the rice native species and ecosystems. In conclusion, food
industry affects by climate change depends on the insecurity is a major social and environmental
above adaptation. However, as a whole of the disruptor with serious repercussions for the health
agriculture sector, we might consider the option of and future world sustainability. Improved food
crop insurance to minimize farmers losses and ensure security governance based on sound, equitable and
the sustainability of the agriculture sector. It has sustainable food systems that benefit from modern
been drafted and structured by Agro Bank with information technologies is essential to meet the
cooperation from all of the agricultural agencies sustainable development goal.
under the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based
Industry. Among the considerations is the indemnity
payment mechanism which significantly related to ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
losses assessment procedures. Efficient and
transparent procedures are very important in the The author would like to thank the Director General
continuation of initiatives. If not, this crop insurance of MARDI, Datuk Dr Mohammad Roff Mohd Noor
initiative, for instance, may become the new burden for his support and guidance. Special thanks were
to the government as it fails to leverage private due to all the staff of Sosio-economic, Market
firms to embark on this initiative. This could be the Intelligence and Agribusiness Research Centre who
opportunity for agriculture as a whole to sustain diligently undertake the study and persistently doing
though climatic events might be a huge threat to the the data collection. The appreciation also goes to
sector (Rahim et al., 2016). the editorial board of MABJ and UMT for giving
us the opportunity to publish this paper.

CONCLUSION
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